UEFA's control and disciplinary body have handed Rangers a £9,000 for the behaviour of their supporters before their away Champions League game against Villarreal on March 7.

The Spanish club's team bus was attacked and a window was smashed prior to the
second leg.

But they were found not guilty of acts of alleged discriminatory chants at
both legs of the tie, which Villarreal won on the away-goals rule.

A UEFA statement read: 'Rangers have been fined 13,000 euros (£9,000) for
incidents at their UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against
Spanish outfit Villarreal last month.

'UEFA's control and disciplinary body imposed the fine on Rangers following
the improper conduct of some of their supporters, notably the smashing of a
window of the Villarreal team bus at the second-leg match in Spain on March 7.

'The body declared the Rangers fans not guilty of alleged discriminatory
chants at both legs of the tie, which Villarreal won on the away-goals rule
after the two sides had finished 3-3 on aggregate.

'This decision can be appealed against within three days of receiving the
written grounds for the verdict, in which the reasonings will be explained.'

But the third-placed Bank of Scotland Premier League outfit are unlikely to
appeal against the ruling of the governing body.

UEFA compiled a dossier of evidence against Rangers, including television
footage from Ibrox and El Madrigal Stadium.

Rangers feared they could have parts of Ibrox closed down judging by the
previous punishments handed to Steaua Bucharest and Sparta Prague, whose home
attendances were restricted by UEFA for racist chanting by supporters.

That prompted Rangers to submit a hefty defence of their own to UEFA, in which
the club cited their anti-bigotry measures as evidence of their efforts to clean
up the matchday atmosphere at Ibrox.

Rangers also sent a letter from Glasgow City Council which praised the club
for its anti-bigotry efforts.

UEFA director of communications William Gaillard said: 'Rangers fans were not
guilty of sectarian discriminatory or racist chanting at either of those
stadiums.

'What is absolutely essential is that a decision has been fair.

'If the disciplinary body found Rangers were not involved in sectarian chants
then there would be no reason to sanction the club.

'The disciplinary body looked at the evidence and listened to the case given
by the club and everyone is innocent until proven guilty.'